Social media, and the internet as a whole, has completely revolutionized every aspect of our daily lives.
From being able to shop the trendiest looks with just one click, to know what our favorite celebrities are thinking every second of every day, social platforms have definitely increased our sense of connectivity and availability.
And this is especially true when it comes to selecting a new, innovative career.
We no longer have to walk traditional career paths that don’t feed our need for creativity or flexibility. However, not all of us are cut out to be influencers, either!
No worries.
If you want to tap into all the potential of social media without putting yourself out there for all to see, here are 3 creative ways to make money online that don’t involve becoming an influencer.
Social Media Creative Director
Putting together a social media account that looks cohesive, creative, and in perfect alignment with your vision is no easy feat. While many people believe that it’s super easy to throw a few pictures together to create a vibe is a piece of cake, this isn’t exactly true.
This is where creative directors come in. Creative directors are exactly what they sound like: people who direct and organize creative aspects of a project. This can be a number of things, including developing concepts for photoshoots, organizing the pictures on an Instagram feed, or even making sure the brand image is consistent across platforms.
It’s essential for creative directors to not only have vision, but to have excellent communication, stellar project management skills, and a knack for presenting both creative visuals and important technical information.
On a practical level, it would be an incredible help if you had a degree and/or preexisting experience in a creative field. But if you don’t have a formal education or experience, it would also help to know one or more of the following hard skills:
- Adobe Creative Cloud programs like Photoshop, InDesign, or Illustrator.
- Picture and/or video editing.
- Graphic design.
- Photography.
- Copywriting.
- Concept development.
If you’re not sure how to become a social media creative director, start by learning more about the profession! Shadow others in the field or find a mentor; Take free online courses to build knowledge and basic skills; or if you already have some skills, develop your own mock projects and get started on a portfolio!
Marketing & Advertising
Simply put, social media marketing and advertising is when you leverage social networks to sell your product or service by promoting your brand. Unlike traditional avenues, social media marketing and advertising is all about appealing to your target audience through creating engaging content that inspires them to buy into whatever it is you’re selling.
It may sound complicated, but think of it like this: can you make a funny TikTok and get tons of comments, or get a lot of Instagram likes by taking a creative picture of your food at a restaurant? If yes, you already have some of the basic skills required to successfully market and advertise online.
Of course, there are also some serious skills that need to be learned. If you’ve never crafted a marketing strategy or conducted a competitive analysis, you’re in for a ride! Don’t be intimidated, though. Here a few resources to help you get started:
- Read E-books. Here’s a really good one about how to use Instagram for Business.
- Take free classes. Skillshare offers tons of material for marketing on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
- Get a specialization certificate. It’s way cheaper than a degree, but still packed with useful, applicable knowledge. Most of them are fully online, like the one from Northwestern.
Copywriter & Content Creator
There is no social media without the very content that comes from its users. And this statement isn’t a random opinion, it’s a well-known fact.
Be it a thought-provoking thread of tweets that get Black Twitter talking, or a TikTok hack that changes how we use spatulas forever— social media content is important, no matter if it’s deep and meaningful, or fun and frivolous.
However, businesses aren’t always the greatest at creating content that appeals to their audience in a genuine and personal way. This is where you come in!
If you have a knack for writing posts, taking pictures, recording videos, or even crafting simple captions that appeal to particular audiences, social media copywriting and content creating might be perfect for you!
While there’s no one way to get started on this career path, having your own thriving personal and/or professional social media account(s) is a great way to show off your skills.
However, the more introvert-friendly way to do it is gain some experience by testing out your ideas on micro-influencers and small business accounts. Whichever path you take, be confident and secure— be yourself.
